Jess Romero

Owner of Romero's Tax Services

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The grandchild of immigrants from Sonora and Jalisco, Mexico, Jess Romero was born in Alameda, California in 1960, and grew up here in Napa. Romero’s mother, having grown up in Oakland, didn’t like the rural lifestyle in the Napa Valley, so his family would go and visit his grandparents in the city every weekend. “One great benefit of being exposed to the lifestyle of Oakland was seeing a very diverse community.” At the time, Napa was largely white, with very few Latinos. Romero’s parents opened Romero Tax Services in 1972, with the intent to earn extra money and to help the few Latino farm workers complete their tax returns each year, a task which required the help of the whole family during tax season.

With the money they earned from the business, Romero’s parents were able to send him and his two siblings to college. While Romero was in college, his father developed serious health issues that prevented him from being able to keep the business running, which is when Romero stepped in. His father died years later in 1994, passing down the foundation for success. “We still have clients that my father started with back in 1972, and we now are seeing their children and grandchildren.”

Romero has dealt with many clients under investigation from the IRS, and with great success. “With most of my cases the Internal Revenue Service comes out with no changes to my clients’ reports. They get the biggest smile on their faces which makes me feel great that I am there to help them out.” Often, Romero’s clients are nervous because of language difficulties, which he can help alleviate.

Romero encourages future business owners to keep asking questions, and really find out what it takes to run a business. “You will find out it will be a twenty four hour job,” he reveals. Romero believes it is important to treat everyone with great respect. “I treat the hard working farm worker with the same dignity and respect as our government leaders. We are all equal.”

“I am very proud to be part of this exhibit, I am proud of my heritage, and proud to be part of this community. With the help from our Latino community, we have made Napa County a tourist destination from all over the world, a community that lives and provides for all that live here.”